Spark arrester



p i 44. v H. w. GONIA 2,346,022

SPARK ARRESTER Filed Oct. 16, 1943 1/ 9 1/ I i I i J f .15.]... 19

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. My I i 4. 1 0 (d 6} 0 0 ml F i 2 I I 2 15? W 60% Patented Apr. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to spark arresters, and more particularly to an improved device for application to the smoke stack of incinerators, house chimneys and the like, whereby to promote greater safety in the discharge of products of combustion, especially where there is danger of starting a fire through the discharge of sparks up the chimney.

In the burning of rubbish or refuse, the carbon resulting from incomplete combustion goes up the chimney in the form of large sparks or embers, and if these are allowed to be disbursed in the air, serious damage may take place, particularly where the burning is in or around forest houses, mountain cabins and summer camps. Different types of ordinary fuel will normally give ofi more or less sparks.

I am aware that different forms of spark arresters have heretofore been proposed to minimize the danger normally attending the burning of rubbish or combustion of fuel, but it has been found that many of these arresters are faulty in construction due to their failure to effectively entrap the sparks or embers or to promote complete combustion of the same. Another principal fault of the prior arresters resides in the im practical construction as intended for use by setting the same on top of the smoke pipe.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved spark arrester construction which will effectively entrap the sparks and embers, and which effectively promotes complete combustion of the same before they can escape into the air.

A further object of the invention is to provide for an effective shielding of the arrester from the wind, while at the same time directing air thereto in such suitable proportion as will promote complete combustion as referred to above.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved spark arrester which is simple and economical in construction, which can be made in different sizes, and which is preferably of unitary form for convenience of installation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arrester which can be easily made from sheet metal, and which is composed of comparatively few parts which may be quickly and easily assembled and installed without the aid of special tools, and without requiring any special skill in the assembly or installation thereof.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a spark arrester embodying the improved features of my invention; and

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the parts shown in Figure l on a somewhat enlarged scale.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the separate views of the drawing, wherein l designates a stack preferably composed of sheet metal, and which may constitute a regular part of the ordinary smoke stack leading from an incinerator, stove, furnace, or

other device used for the burning of rubbish, refuse, or fuel. On the other hand, the stack which may have the form of a relatively short section which may be attached in any suitable manner to the top of a regular smoke stack or chimney. Disposed within the upper end of the stack I, and preferably lying wholly below the upper extremity thereof is a perforate conical member 2 disposed with its apex uppermost and having its base of such size as to freely fit within the stack to enable the conical member to be inserted or removed at will. At a distance somewhat below the bottom of the perforated conical member 2, the stack I is provided with a series of perforations 4 arranged in circumferentially spaced relation to each other, and mounted on the exterior of the stack l is a skirtlike guard or shield 5. As clearly shown in the drawing, the skirt 5 is preferably tapered and generally conforms to a truncated cone, the upper end of which lies relatively close to the outer wall of the stack I and preferably providing a loose fit thereon. The lower end of the skirt 5 is radially spaced from the stack l and terminates somewhat below the perforations 4.

For convenience of assembly of the perforated conical member 2 and the skirt 5 respectively interiorly and exteriorly of the stack l, and without the aid of special tools or separate fastening means, the stack l is preferably provided with an annular bead 6 extending about the interior thereof andupon which the base of the perforated conical member 2 normally rests when the member 2 is inserted in the upper end of the stack. A second annular bead I is provided on the exterior of the stack f and functions as a support for the skirt 5, as will be clearly understood from reference to Figure 2 of the drawing. If desired, the upper end of the skirt may be provided with a cylindrical collar 8 generally conforming to the shape of the stack I, to aid in maintaining the skirt 5 coaxial with the stack i and to facilitate the guiding of the skirt as the same is applied on to the upper end of the stack and moved downwardly in abutting engagement with the bead 1.

The beads 6 and 'i may be readily formed by rolling or otherwise as will be obvious. Other forms of interior and exterior protuberances or abutments may be substituted for the beads 6 and I to limit relative movement of the respective members 2 and 5 in a downward direction.

Mounted on the upper end of the stack I in spaced relation thereto is a cap 9 preferably supported by a plurality of circumferentially spaced straps or bars ID, the upper ends of which are secured at H to the lower side of the cap 9. The lower ends of the straps or bars I!) are preferably reversely bent to provide spaced gripping parts li2, I3 between which the upper edge of the stack I is adapted to be inserted as best shown in Figure 2. The bars or straps M are preferably composed of springy material so that the clamping parts l2, G3 on the lower end thereof will exert a yieldable gripping pressure upon the stack which is sufiicient to normally prevent accidental displacement of the cap, while at the same time permitting the cap to be quickly and easily removed to afford access to the perforated conical member 2 within the stack. The removability and ease of assembly of the cap 9, all without the aid of any special tools, contributes to the practicability of the arrester device for storage, packing and shipment of the parts in a knocked-down condition.

In the use of the arrester when assembled as illustrated in the drawing, the perforated conical member 2 is effectively shielded against the direct force of the wind so that the sparks or embers entrapped within the conical member will not be prematurely disbursed into the air or discharged from the upper end of the stack 1. Secondary air of combustion is however permitted to enter between the skirt 5 and the stack l and to pass through the perforations 4 to the interior of the stack, this secondary air serving to aid in the complete combustion of the sparks or embers entrapped within the perforated member 2. The flow of secondary pair through the perforations 4 is induced by the rise of warm air in the stack I, while the perforations 4 are effectively shielded against the direct force of the wind.

While the specific details of construction have been herein shown and described, the invention is not confined thereto as changes and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letter Patent is:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a stack, a perforate member disposed within the stack below the upper extremity thereof, and said stack having a plurality of openings therein arranged below the perforate member, in combination with a skirt extending about the stack over the openings in the latter and in laterally spaced relation thereto, the space beneath the skirt and surrounding the openings being open to the atmosphere.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a stack, a foraminous member disposed wholly within the stack and extending across the interior thereof, said stack having a plurality of openings therein below the foraminous member, a skirt disposed about the stack over the openings aforesaid and laterally spaced therefrom, the space beneath the skirt and surrounding the openings being open to the atmosphere, and means on the exterior of the stack for engaging the skirt to support the same.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the support for the skirt comprises an annular bead extending about the exterior of the stack.

4, A device of the class described, comprising a stack having its wall reversely curved in axial section at a distance from the upper end of the stack, providing oppositely disposed abutments respectively interiorly and exteriorly thereof, a perforate member extending across the interior of the stack and freely movable therein into abutting engagement with the interior abutment aforesaid so as to be supported by'the same, said stack having a plurality of openings therein below the perforate member, and a skirt extending about the exterior of the stack in spaced relation to the openings therein and freely movable on the stack for abutting engagement with the exterior abutment aforesaid so as to be supported by the latter, the space beneath the skirt and surhounding the openings being open to the atmosphere.

HENRY W. GONIA. 

